Drive-by Editing: Awkward apostrophes

Anyone who knows me knows that I adore Japanese clothing retailer UNIQLO. I also like Keith Haring.

But this misplaced apostrophe on a shirt UNIQLO produced using some of Haring’s art makes me cringe. Seeing “80’s” is fairly common, but it’s widely accepted by editors that it should be ” ’80s”, as in, an apostrophe because the 19 is omitted and an S to make the years in that decade plural.

If I’d been on the design team, I wouldn’t have suggested altering the artist’s work without his permission; I would have recommended not using the image.

I wouldn’t be able to wear this T-shirt and hold my head up high, and I suspect many others would feel the same. Awkward…